This invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an external processing apparatus for a tandem image forming system which causes plural image forming apparatus to output images in combination.
In recent years, as the highly networked information technology advances, copying machines, printers and multi-function devices have been digitalized and networked. As the result, a tandem image forming system has been in practical use which produces a lot of image output immediately by connecting plural digital copying machines to cause the digital copying machines to quickly make a lot of copies of original images read by a single image reader or to cause plural printers to quickly print out image data sent from a computer. Accordingly, in the tandem image forming system, it is desired to tell the processing status of tandem jobs visibly or in other ways.
In general, image forming apparatus manages its own job status and displays it on the display section such as a touch-sensitive panel or the like if necessary. FIG. 9 shows a display section 200 which now displays the processing status of respective jobs. Each job processing status 201 to 204 displays the job mode, operating status, number of remaining copies, and rest of time so that the operator can get the job status and the running status of respective apparatus at a glance.
Further, there has been proposed in a system which is connected to a network, a network-connected information processing unit collectively manages information about apparatus identification and running conditions, and displays the information on the display section of the information processing unit. (See Patent Document 1) As shown in FIG. 10, this system includes image processing units 251 to 258 such as facsimile units FAX, copying units COPY, and personal computers, a storage unit 260 which collectively stores information of ID and operating condition of each image processing unit, and a network which connects these image processing units and the storage unit 260. At least one of the image-processing units, for example, a personal computer 257 can collectively display these kinds of information on its display section 257a via network (Web).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication H07-271727
However, conventional apparatus and systems do not consider the tandem function when displaying information. Therefore, they have a problem that we cannot tell whether the displayed jobs are related to tandem outputs and cannot get the running status of apparatus correctly. Further, we must read tandem job status on the display section of each apparatus or on the web. Since this tandem job status is individual and not related to the whole tandem status, it is difficult to see the whole tandem job status.
Further, the information (number of remaining copies and rest of time) displayed on the job display section belongs to each apparatus only. Therefore, we cannot see at a glance the information of number of remaining copies and rest of time in the whole tandem output.